World Health Organization officially declares COVID-19 a pandemic
ROME (AP) - The World Health Organization is declaring that the global coronavirus crisis is now a pandemic.
“W.H.O has been assessing this outbreak around the clock and we’re deeply concerned, both by the alarming levels of spread and severity
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus | WHO Director General
and by the alarming levels of inaction. We have therefore made the assessment that Covid-19 can be characterized as a pandemic.”
The assessment comes as Italy is weighing even tighter restrictions on daily life and has announced billions in financial relief to cushion economic shocks from the coronavirus. Premier Giuseppe Conte says he will consider requests to toughen an already extraordinary lockdown.
The hardest-hit region of Lombardy is pushing for a shutdown of nonessential businesses and public transportation on top of travel and social restrictions.
The death toll in Italy has risen to 631. In the U.S., more than 1,000 people have been infected.
